Trolley.



UNITED STATES ATENT heron.

l/VALLACE L. BAKER, OF PAINESVILLE, OHIO.

TROLLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 701,247, dated May 27, 1902. Application filed January 20, 1902. Serial No. 90,462. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALLACE L. BAKER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Painesville, county of Lake, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolleys, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trolleys, and has for its object the provision therein of means for permitting the trolleywheel to accommodate itself to irregularities in the trolley wire, such as at curves or switches, and a frame suitable for supporting the same, wherein efficient contact is insured.

It is well known that at the high speed at which the trolley-cars are commonly run the trolley is frequently displaced from the wire, which is likely to result in damage to the supports thereof, as well as to the trolley itself, while delay is necessarily occasioned in restoring contact between the wire and trolleywheel.

It is self-evident that in an efficient trolley device the electrical continuity thereof should at all times be insured, and, furthermore, it is highly desirable that the trolley be sufficiently and properly oiled to prevent undue wear thereof, while avoiding the leakage or waste of the oil. These features I have borne in mind in perfecting my improved device, which I may briefly describe as consisting of a bowed harp or frame to be carried at the end of the trolley-arm, wherein the trolleywheel is supported in slotted ways extending substantially parallel with the trolley-Wire, whereby said wheel is adapted easily and readily to assume various angular positions with reference to the trolley frame. Contactsprings are provided upon either side of said Wheel, which are adapted at all times to maintain efficient electrical connection with the frame and serve as Well to assist in centering the trolley-wheel therein under normal conditions.

The trolley-wheel is a hollow or cored casting, serving as an oilreservoir, wherein diametrically-disposed walls are placed in position to direct the oil against a central-bored s1eeve,closing the said chamber and providing the bearing for the trolley-wheel. Said sleeve preferably is bored at opposite sides of the chamber, a wick or other absorbent being inserted in each of the openings, adapted to dip with the trolley-wire.

into the oil and feed the same to a registering narrow groove cut in the inner bore of the sleeve.

My invention will be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating its preferred embodiment, wherein-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the trolley frame and wheel shown in position of contact Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the trolley wheel and frame; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the frame, indicating the 'adjustability of the trolley-wheel therein. r

The same character of reference is employed to designate similar parts in each of the several figures.

The trolley frame or harp a, which is carried at the end of the trolley-pole b, differs from the type commonly in use in that the bifurcated portion is considerably enlarged and bowed or outwardly curved at a to permit of a wide range of angular adjustment of the trolley-wheel c therein. Angularly-extending slotted portions a", which preferably are also slightly bowed to prevent any interference with the movement of the wheel, form the supporting-terminals of the frame, wherein the wheel is hung by means of an axle pin or bolt (1, slightly flattened at its ends to engage the walls of theslots and prevent the rotation of said bolt. The said slot should be sufliciently enlarged or cut away at one side of the frame, as at e, to permit the insertion and removal of the axle pin or bolt, which normally is maintained in position by means of spring-keys (1", extending through holes in the ends ofsaid pin.

As before stated, the trolley-wheel is a hollow or cored casting affording an interior reservoir for oil, within which reservoir f are provided diametrically-disposed walls f, extending to within a short distance of and adapted to direct the oil against the sleeve g, which provides the bearing for the wheel and closes the oil-reservoir as well. A screwits opposite ends substantially beneath the oil-directing walls f, within each of which openings a suitable absorbent or wick is inserted, adapted to dip into the oil contained within the reservoir and assist in supplying said oil to the bearing afforded by the inner bore of the sleeve. Registering with said openings g are the narrow longitudinal grooves 9', cut in the inner bore of the sleeve, which serve freely to supply the oil throughout the length of the bearing-surface.

Supported within the frame upon either side of the trolley-wheel are the bowed springs h, terminating in convex bored heads h, which interiorly bear against said trolleywheel, while the lower ends of the springs engage the lower exterior portions of the frame,provided with openings, through which the said springs extend. These springs h serve the double purpose of centering the trolley-wheel within the frame in normal position to engage the trolley-wire and also maintain at all times the electrical continuity between the said wheel and frame, for which purpose they may contact with the frame both above and below the openings therein. Under ordinary conditions the trolleywheel will be drawn by the movement of the car to the extreme rear position permitted by the back walls of the slots, this position being maintained while the wheel is following a straight wire. When, however, a curve or switch is reached by the car, the wheel itself will turn within its frame in a plane substan tially parallel with the wire, sufficiently to accommodate any ordinary irregularity in the wire not compensated for by the swivel of the trolley pole. In other words, instead of cramping the wire between the opposite walls or flanges of the grooved trolley-wheel, as occurs under similar conditions with the ordinary trolley, thus frequently disengaging the trolley-wheel from the wire, my improved trolley-wheel will be easily swung by the wire to suitable angular positions for accommodating itself to the curvature of the wire or displacement of the pole, as indicated by the full and dotted lines in Fig. 3. This is very easily and simply accomplished by reason of the fact that but for the necessary spring-pressure the axle-pin of the wheel is perfectly free to slide in the slots in parts a, which are parallel with thewire and have no tendency to cramp the wheel and pin in any position within the frame and slots. The parts a are slightly bowed or curved, and the end walls beveled, better to secure this result. When a straight length of wire is again encountered by the wheel, the springs assist it to recover its normal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and.

2. The wicks serve to convey oil to the transverse grooves in the sleeve, which function is greatly facilitated by the walls or partitions f in the oil-chamber, which direct a flow of oil toward the perforated sleeve by reason of the irregular movements of the wheel. It is necessary firmly to seat the wicks in the openframe.

ings in the sleeve in order to prevent their displacement by centrifugal force during the rotation of the wheel. A much larger body of oil ordinarily is maintained in the reservoir than is indicated in Fig. 2. Such novelty as resides in the oiling features, however, I desire to reserve to myself and present the same in a separate application. With the enlarged bowed frame shown a trolley-wheel of greater diameter, more suitable for high speeds or one of different type than that shown herein, may as readily be used in said As thus constructed the trolley is very much improved, requiring but little attention to maintain it in engagement with the wire to keep it oiled and the oil renewed and retain it in good electrical condition.

Having now described the preferred form of my improvement, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

1. In a trolley device, the combination with a bowed frame or harp having terminal supporting parts slotted substantially parallel with the wire, of a trolley-wheel hung therein to have free angular adjustment with respect to the frame, and springs h adapted to maintain the electrical continuity of the said parts and assist the wheel to its normal position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a trolley device, the combination with a frame or harp a bowedor expanded at a, said frame having terminal parts a" providing supporting slides or ways lying substantially in a horizontal plane when the device engages the trolley-wire, of a trolley-wheel mounted therebetween and permitted free angular adjustment within the horizontal supporting-ways, and contact-springs h engaging said trolley-wheel and frame, substantially as set forth.

3. In a trolley device, the combination with a bifurcated frame or harp having slotted supporting or terminal parts, the slots extend ingsubstantially parallel with the trolley-wire when the device is in position of engagement therewith, and the lower portion of the frame being enlarged or bowed, of a trolley-wheel hung between the supporting parts of the frame, an axle-pin rotatably mounting said wheel and extending through the slots,wherein it is freely movable to permit of the angular adjustment of the wheel within its frame, and lateral springs h engaging the wheel and frame adapted to establish the electrical continuity between said parts, and restore the WALLACE L. BAKER.

- Witnesses:

AUGUSTA GIEL, ALBERT LYNN LAWRENCE. 

